Method and machine for making cushion pads



June 11, 1935. G, GERARD 2,004,658

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CUSHION PADS Original Filed Nov. 10, 19 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Witness [7221672Z07 frneJffl/Vyers I June 11, 1935. G. A. GERARD I 2,@04,658

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CUSHION PADS Original Filed Nov. 0, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 VVt7ze55 [nwentar [med 14 Myer: a a,

June 11, 1935. G. A. GERARD METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CUSHION PADS Original Filed Nov. 10; 1951 4'Sheets-Sheet 3 Witness Witness June 11, 1935. e. A. GERARD 2,004,653

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CUSHION PADS Original Filed Nov. 10, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fiy, 9

[med /2 Nyr:

10 fibrous material, trimming the bat to the desired prises a cylinder of wood, as shown in Fig. 8, 10

'20 partially and completely disintegrated particles but has a pointed end 28 for the purpose to be 20 SATES 4 METHOD AND MACHINE FOR CUSHION PADS George A. Gerard, Reading, Mass., assignor to Cotton-Wood Products, Inc., Reading, Mass, a corporation of sachusetts Application November 1o, 1931, Serial No. 574,067, Renewed August 4, 1934 22 Claims. (Cl. 154-33) The present invention relates to a method and driven rolls 20 and 22. The continuous bat thus machine for making cushion pads. formed is delivered from between the rolls 20 The object of the present invention is to proand 22 to a ledge 24 which lies ahead of the bat vide a method and machine for making cushion forming roll 25. The paper l isremoved from pads of any desired shape, more particularly for engagement with the bat prior to its delivery to 5 making pads of circular, oval, or other non-recthe ledge 26, being carried around the lower roll tangular shape. 2 22 and downwardly around rolls I26 and I28.

With this object in view, the principal feature The bat delivered from the ledge 2t is now of the invention contemplates forming a bat of shaped by the forming roll 25. This roll comshape, delivering the bat between sheets of fabric, having an outer surface 26 which, if developed adhering the fabric sheets around the peripheral into a plane, is the shape of the desired bat. As edge of the bat, and cutting the sheets beyond shown in Fig. 2, the completed pad, indicated at the edge of the bat. Although fibrous material 21, is of substantially circular shape. In this of any suitable form may be used, it is preferred figure, the outer line indicates the peripheral 15 to employ the disintegrated paper described in edge of the pad and the inner line indicates the copending application of Gerard and Weisthe inner sealed edge of the pad, which correman, Serial No. 276,303, filed May 9, 192 8. This sponds to the shape of the bat itself. It will be material comprises waste paper containing both noted that the pad 21 is not exactly circular and,'as explained in said application, the material presently described. Accordingly, the surface 26 is of great value, not only because of its capacity of the forming roll is shaped to produce a subfor retaining its form, but also because of its stantially circular pe phery of e batexcept cheapness, its resiliency, and its heat insulating at the pointed end portions 28. The. cylinder is properties. hollow, as indicated at 29, and is mounted on a 25 Other features of the invention consist of cershaft driven from the drive shaft 3i by a tain novel modes of operation and combinations sprocket chain 32. As the bat passes over the and arrangements of parts hereinafter described r011 25. its edges are trimm d by blasts of air and particularly defined in the claims. directed against he edges of the roll. To this In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an end, a pair of nozzles 33, operated in synchro- 30 elevation partly in section of the preferred form niSm. are pr vid d. ac ozzle 33 is connectof machine for practising the present invention; ed with an air tube 3d. Each nozzle is mounted Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section; Fig. 3 is a in the end of a slide bar which reciprocates section on line 33 of Fig. 2, of the bat forming in guides 36. Each bar has at its end a, cam

roll; Figs. 4 and 5 are top and bottom plan views follower 1 engaged y a cam 38 mounted 35 of the knife roll; Figs, 6 and '7 are top and bottom on Shaft 49 and driven by beveled gears 4| plan views of th sealing 11; Fig, 3 1 a plan from the shaft 30. i The cams are constructed so view of the bat forming roll; Fig. 9 is a section on that upon at n of the cylinder, the air blasts line 9 9 of i 3; Fig. 10 1 a section on e follow and are directed against the edge of the 3- of Fig 3; Fig 11 is asection on line surface 26. These blasts continuously tr m off 40 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 12 is a section on line l2-l2 t s ts point 0f pp on the formlhg of 5, roll changes during the feed. The waste mate- The machine illustrated in the drawings com- 9 falls t pp ch is connected prises a hopper 8 containing a supply of fibrous Wlth a Suctlon plpe 45 for eonveylng the matematerial, preferably amixture of the partially and rial back to the main f hopper .45 completely disintegrated paper fibers described The formed bat leaving the roll 25 is delivered in the copending application above referred to. Onto a e d h nce Onto the sheet of Fiber particles are continuously fed from the hoppaper Whleh 11 back om the roll I28 per to a traveling apron [0 which preferably comand p s Over a guide ed 44 'adlacent t0 the prises one of the sheets for ultimately enclosing ledge 43. It will be noted that the paper I 0 the bat. The paper is fed from the roll I2 over loops C p y around the opper 42.

a roller l 4, and passes over a table l6 lying under At this point, a second sheet of paper 48, which the hopper. The fiber deposited on the paper forms the upper sheet of the pad, is delivered passes under a guard roll l8 and is lightly comfrom a roll 50 and pa ses under a roll 52 and pressed into a bat by passing between positively Over a r l 54, thence to P t a r l 55 a1- 55 ranged immediately above the bat at the point where the latter is again deposited on the lower sheet I 0. In its passage over the roll 64, the upper sheet is supplied with glue or other adhesive. The supply of glue is contained in a trough 58 from which the glue is delivered by continuously rotating rolls and 82 to a glue roll 64. This glue roll is preferably provided with small protruding surfaces, as described in the copending application of Gerard, filed of even date herewith, in order that the glue may be applied to the sheet over small areas rather than over continuous surfaces, thereby permitting crumpling or twisting of the finished product without cracking of the glue or the paper.

The sheets l0 and 48, which meet under the roll 56, are passed over a table 66 to be engaged by a compression cylinder or sealing roll 68. It will be noted that the roll 56 is spaced a slight distance above the table 66, and that the sheets converge together as the sealing roll is approached, thereby providing suflicient adhering contact between the upper sheet and the bat itself. The cylinder 68 is in the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7, having a wooden core and a protruding rubber surface piece Ill which is complementary to the surface 26 of the bat forming roll. The roll 68 is driven in synchronism with the bat forming cylinder and the surface 10 engages with the sheet around the peripheral edge of the bat, thereby forcing the upper and lower sheets into engagement and causing them to adhere. The roll 68 cooperates with a smooth roll 12 which extends through a slot in the table 66 to engage the under sheet l0. It will be seen that the roll 68 compresses the outer marginal portions of the pad, but does not compress the fibrous material which adheres sufficiently well to the upper sheet without compression.

The material passing from the roll 68 therefore comprises a series of regularly spaced bats enclosed between the continuous sealed sheets Ill and 48. The pads are now delivered to a cutting roll 14 which severs the pads around the peripheral edges of the bats. The cutting roll includes the cylinder I4 to which is attached a knife 16 of the shape shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The shape of the knife 16 is such as to sever the pads 21. The knife, if developed into a plane, would be of the same shape as the developed surface 26 of the forming roll, but slightly larger, in order to leave a small marginal sheet area around the edge of the bat. The pads pass between the knife roll 14 and an under roll 18 which is supported at intervals upon wheels 80 freely journaled by roller bear lugs 82 on a shaft 84. The roll 18 and the supports 80 are of suflicient strength to resist the cutting pressure of the knife roll. It will be noted in Fig. 5 that the knifeedge has straight converging portions 88 to form the pointed ends 28 of the pad. If a true circular pad were constructed, the end portion of the knife would necessarily be of circular form tangent to one of the elements of the cylinder, that is to say, there would be a point at which the knife would make a purely transverse out. It has been found that such a transverse cut requires a very considerable pressure on the roll 14, thereby rendering it difficult to afford sufilcient support for the under roll 18. The pointed form of pad permits the knife to operate with a longitudinal cutting component at all times,

thereby diminishing the pressure necessary for the knife roll. If desired, a true circular pad or a pad of any other shape may be made, but for ordinary purposes, the pointed end is in no way objectionable and has the advantage of facilitating manufacture.

The completed pads are delivered from the knife roll over a-ledge 90 to a traveling apron 92 from which they are discharged to be collected in any suitable manner. The waste material, namely, the portions of the sheet l0 and 48 surrounding the pads, may also progress over the apron and are discharged therefrom. Such waste material is not shown in Fig. 2.

The complete drive connections for the rolls are not shown. The drive for the bat forming roll 25 is illustrated at 32, and similar drives for the rolls 20, 22, 68 and 14 are provided in order to permit operation thereof all in proper synchronism.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A method of making a cushion pad which consists in forming a continuous bat of fibrous material, trimming the bat to a desired non-rectangular shape, placing the bat between fabric sheets, causing the fabric sheets to adhere around the peripheral edge of the bat, and cutting the sheets around the edge of the hat.

2. A method of making a cushion pad which consists in continuously forming a bat of fibrous material on a traveling apron, removing the apron from engagement with the bat, trimming the bat to a desired non-rectangular shape while out of engagement with the apron, continuously feeding sheets of fabric, delivering the trimmed bat between the sheets, adhering the sheets around the edge of the bat, and cutting the sheets beyond the edge of the bat.

3. A method of making a cushion pad which consists in continuously forming a hat of fibrous material on a traveling apron, removing the apron from engagmentwith the bat, trimming the bat while out of engagement with the apron over a surface of desired non-rectangular shape, removing the surplus material from the edge of the bat, continuously feeding sheets of fabric, delivering the trimmed bat between the sheets, adhering the sheets around the edge of the bat, and cutting the sheets beyond the edge of the hat.

4. A method of making a cushion pad which consists in continuously forming a hat of fibrous material on a traveling sheet of fabric, removing the sheet from engagement with the bat, trimming the bat to a desired non-rectangular shape, replacing the trimmed bat on the sheet, feeding another sheet on the opposite side of the bat, and adhering the sheets together.

5. A method of making a cushion pad which consists in forming a continuous bat on a traveling sheet of fabric, removing the sheet from beneath the bat and restoring engagement of the sheet with the bat-at an advanced position, trimming the bat to a desired shape while out of engag ment with the sheet, and feeding another she t to engage the opposite side of the bat.

6. A method of making a cushion pad which consists in forming acontinuous bat on a traveling sheet of fabric, removing the sheet from beneath the bat and restoring engagement of the sheet with the bat at an advanced position,v

against the edge of the supported portion, and enclosing the trimmed bat between said sheet and another sheet, and cutting the sheets beyond the periphery of the bat.

7. A machine for making non-rectangular cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, means for supporting a portion of the bat, means for trimming unsupported parts of the bat, said means being variable transversely of the bat to remove variable amounts of material therefrom, means for feeding the formed bat between two sheets of fabric, means for sealing the fabric around thebat, and means for cutting the fabric.

8. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, a cylinder over which the bat is passed, the cylinder having a surface of the desired shape of the bat when developed, means for removing waste material from around the edges of the cylinder, means for feeding the formed bat between two sheets of fabric, means for sealing the fabric around the bat, and means for cutting the fabric.

9. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, air blast means for trimming the bat to a desired non-rectangular shape, said means being variable transversely of the bat to remove variable amounts of material therefrom, means for feeding the formed bat between two sheets of fabric, means for sealing the fabric around the bat, and means for cutting the fabric.

10. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, means for supporting the bat, airblast means for trimming the bat in accordance with the contour of the supporting means, means for feeding the formed bat between two sheets of fabric, means for sealing the fabric around the bat, and means for cutting the fabric.

11. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a con tinuous bat, bat supporting means, means for trimming the bat during its passage over the supporting means, said trimming means being variable transversely of the bat to remove variable amounts of material therefrom, means for placing the trimmed bat between sheets of fabric, a sealing roll having a surface complementary to that of the supporting means, and means for cutting the sheets.

12. In a machine for making cushion pads, a rotary knife having a cutting edge to cut on a curved contour, and converging end portions to produce a longitudinal cutting component at all points without a transverse cut at any point.

13. In a machine for making cushion pads, a knife roll, a knife disposed on the roll to cut on a curved periphery, and having converging straight end portions to produce a longitudinal component of cutting at all points without a transverse cut at any point.

14. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, means for feeding the bat, a rotating support over which the bat is fed, the support having a surface of the desired shape of the bat, means for trimming the bat while being fed over the support, and means for feeding the bat to a sheet of fabric.

15. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, means for feeding the hat, a rotating cylinder over which the bat is fed. the cylinder having a developed surface of the desired shape of the bat, trimming means for directing a blast of air against the cylinder to trim the bat, and means for feeding sheets of fabric between which the trimmed bat is fed.

16. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, means for feeding the. bat, a support over which the bat is fed, the support having a surface of the desired contour of the bat, trimming means for removing the surplus material from the edge of the support, and means for moving the trimming means to accommodate the shape of the support.

17. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, means for feeding the bat, a rotating support over which the bat-is fed, the support having a surface of the desired shape of the bat, means for trimming the'bat while being fed over the support, means for moving the trimming means in synchronism with the support, and means for feeding the bat to a sheet of fabric.

18. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, means for feeding the bat, a rotating cylinder over which the bat is fed, the cylinder having a developed surface of the desired shape of the bat, trimming means for directing a blast of air against the cylinder to trim the bat, means for moving the trimming means in synchronism with the support, and means for feeding sheets of fabric between which thetrimmed bat is fed.

19. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, means for supporting a portion of the bat, means for trimming unsupported parts of the bat, means for feeding the formed bat between two sheets of fabric, means for sealing the fabric around the bat comprising a sealing roll having a sealing surfaceconforming to the periphery of the bat, and means for cutting the fabric.

20. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, a cylinder over which the bat is passed, the cylinder having a surface of the desired shape of the bat when developed, means for removing waste material from around the edges of the cylinder, means for feeding the formed bat between two sheets of fabric, means for sealing the fabric around the bat comprising a sealing roll having a sealing surface conforming to the periphery of the bat, and means for cutting the fabric.

21. A method of making a cushion pad which consists in forming a continuous bat of fibrous material, directing jets of air against the bat to remove variable amounts of material therefrom to trim the bat to non-rectangular shape, placing the bat between fabric sheets, causing the fabric sheets to. adhere around the peripheral edge of the bat, and cutting the sheets around the edge of the bat.

22. A machine for making cushion pads having, in combination, means for forming a continuous bat, means for feeding the bat, a support over which the bat is fed, an air jet for removing portions of the bat, means for operating the jet to remove more material adjacent the edges than at the center to trim the bat to non-rectangular shape, means for enclosing the bat between fabric sheets, and means for cutting the sheets around the periphery of the bat.

GEORGE A. GERARD. 

